To Love A King
by sleepy-emo
Summary: Isabella and Henry grew up together; they were friends as children and she became his mistress as an adult. She has been with him his entire life but has Isabella ever wondered what it would be like to be Henry's wife and rule by his side as Queen of England? Over the years has she worked out what it truly means to love a King? Written for NaNoWriMo 2012
1. Chapter 1

**This was written for NaNoWriMo 2012 and has bee sitting on my laptop for well over a year so I thought it was high time I actually did some thing with it. This is a story between Henry VIII and my own character Isabella Lockhart; it's long, it's not necessarily historically accurate (but then again neither is the series haha) and (also like the series) it isn't suitable for anyone under the age of eighteen. Hope you enjoy.**

_ You think you know a story but you only know how it ends. To get to the heart of the story you have to go back to the beginning…_

* * *

It all began when she was a child. As soon as she saw him she knew that her entire world was going to revolve around him. Even at that young age she knew that it could never be anything more than a fantasy that she could indulge in...well a fantasy she could indulge in along with every other young maiden in England. The fantasy of marrying the potential future King of England was one the entire female population of the kingdom shared, even those who had no social standing even among the lower classes – never mind having a social standing in the royal circle.

It was the fantasy of every little girl that she would grow up to marry the King of England and she was no different. She knew that it was just that – a fantasy. She had more sense than any of the other girls. Girls like here didn't grow up to even know the King of England, never mind to actually marry him. But a girl could dream...

* * *

The late afternoon sunlight warmed Isabella's head and shoulders as she wandered around the grounds of Greenwich Palace. She knew that she shouldn't be there; if she was caught, then not only would she be in trouble but so would her mother as well, firstly for allowing her daughter to accompany her to the Palace when she should be working and secondly for allowing her to wander off on her own. Isabella's mother was one of the ladies maids to Elizabeth of York and Isabella knew that when she came of age she would also go to work in the house of the Queen of England; it was her appointment by birth.

Knowing this Isabella had begged and begged her mother to take her along to the Palace one day, hoping to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty, and finally she had relented. She was not happy about taking her daughter with her, as there would be serious consequences if she was discovered, but Isabella had pleaded so hard for so many months. Her mother had made Isabella promise not to get into any trouble, not to be seen by anyone and not to go wandering off on her own. Isabella had kept her first two promises at the very least but when Her Majesty had required her mother's assistance Isabella had taken the opportunity to go off and explore the Palace grounds.

The grounds were so beautiful and Isabella wished that she had more time to explore them but she knew that if she stayed longer then she would be missed by her mother, who was probably already looking for her. She would be in so much trouble if her mother returned to where they had parted and she was nowhere to be seen and she didn't want to face the punishment when they returned home. She turned to return to the Palace when a movement from close by caught her eye. Isabella held her breath and shrank back into the shadows of a shrubbery standing close to where she was.

The person walking around the grounds was about her height and Isabella deduced that they were probably also about her age too. She stared in wonder, curious as to why another child as young as herself was walking around, unsupervised, in the Palace grounds. As the figure got closer she saw that the child was a young boy. He was very well dressed and looked as if he knew his was around the grounds so Isabella assumed that he must be a member of the court. The boy turned slightly and Isabella finally saw his face. She let out an involuntary gasp, her eyes widening; standing a few feet away from her was none other than Prince Henry – the son of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York and heir to the thrown of England!

The young Prince turned slightly at the sound and Isabella froze in horror. She knew she wasn't well hidden and there was no possible way that she couldn't hide from his view. If he turned to fully face the shrubbery then she would be discovered and she would be in serious trouble. The Prince, satisfied that no one was around turned away. Isabella silently let out the breath she had been holding, all she needed to do now was to slip back into the Palace and she would be safe. She took a step back, unable to take her eyes off the Prince in case he turned and spotted her at the last moment, and found herself backing straight into the shrubbery, falling into it.

The plant rustled, which marginally muffled her yelp as she fell, and the Prince turned to fully face her. Isabella jumped to her feet, her heart was beating so fast she thought it was going to jump out of her chest. She was frozen to the spot and despite the heat of the sun she could feel herself shaking where she stood. The Prince took a step towards her hiding place and any vein hopes that Isabella had been harbouring that he might not be able to see her were dashed. She stepped out from the shadows and into his view. She hung her head as she had been taught to avert her eyes from royalty, especially considering the position she was in and that it was royalty that had caught her trespassing.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" the Prince asked. Isabella opened her mouth and closed it again, unsure of what to say to improve her situation. "I asked you a question, answer it." the Prince stated when she failed to answer.

"Isabella." she replied, her voice cracking slightly. "Isabella Lockhart."

"And what are you doing wandering around my grounds Isabella Lockhart?" the Prince asked, emphasising the fact that she was trespassing on his land.

"I was exploring." she stated, still not looking up at him. "My mother is a maid to Her Majesty and I was told that I would be joining her when I came of age and I so wanted to see the Palace before I came to work here." It came out as a garbled mass due to her nerves. She was sure that she not only would she be in trouble her mother would also be reprimanded for bringing her to the Palace as well. Her mother may even lose her job because of it, meaning that she would also lose her future career. "I'm terribly sorry for trespassing Your Highness, I so desperately wanted to see if the Palace really was as beautiful as I had heard."

Once Isabella had finished her explanation she fell silent and waited for her reprimand and punishment. The Prince made no reply so she continued to stare at the ground, shuffling her feet awkwardly. Her stomach was fluttering and her heart was still hammering against her ribcage but all she could do was stand there and stare at the floor in front of her. Still not looking up Isabella heard the crunch of gravel underfoot as the Prince took another step towards her. As she continued to stare at the ground a hand came into her line of vision and tilted her chin up so that she was forced to look into the eyes of the boy in front of her.

Isabella's breathing stopped as she stood staring at the Prince with him staring back at her, taking in her appearance. She dared not move for fear that his composure would cease and he would explode into a violent rage and strike her. He removed his hand from underneath her chin but Isabella didn't drop her head, it was as if the Prince's gaze had her there hypnotised. As Isabella continued to stare at him she couldn't help but notice how handsome he was; with his well cropped dark hair and light blue eyes – he was going to become more handsome as the years went on, Isabella could tell.

"You're very pretty." the Prince stated. Isabella's expression turned to one of complete shock – did the heir to the throne of England just say that she was pretty? She must have misheard him, there's no way that could be what he actually said.

"I beg your pardon Your Highness?" she asked. There must have been some mistake. Isabella was by no means plain but she would hardly have considered herself worthy to be dubbed pretty by any member of the royal family, never mind the future King.

"I said that you're very pretty." he repeated calmly. Isabella continued to stare in disbelief for a few seconds when etiquette told her that she should thank the Prince for his compliment.

"Th…thank you, Your Highness." she said, curtsying and averting her eyes coyly momentarily. When she looked back up into his handsome face she even felt brave enough to smile slightly this time. The Prince smiled back at her.

"Well Miss Lockhart if you promise not to tell anybody that you saw me out here without proper supervision then I promise not to tell anybody that I saw you at all." he told her. Isabella's eyes widened slightly, she couldn't believe what she was hearing but she was certainly willing to take the Prince up on his offer.

"I promise You Highness, I will not breath a word of this to anyone." she said, shaking her head in earnest. The Prince smiled at her.

"Good, I'm glad that we are in accord with each other." he said. A loud and sudden call from inside the Palace made the Prince look round. He rolled his eyes. "It appears I'm already missed." he stated. "We should return before you are as well."

"Yes Your Highness." Isabella agreed. She should get back to her mother before she got in even more trouble than she was probably already in. The Prince took hold of her hand and pressed his lips to it softly.

"I hope to see you again, Isabella." he said, placing emphasis on the use of her name rather than a formality, and began to walk back to the Palace.

"I hope the same thing Your Highness." she replied, not wanting to move until he had left her. The Prince turned to smile at her again.

"Please, call me Henry." he told her and disappeared inside the Palace. Isabella stared after him, confused at what had transpired between them. The Prince...or Henry as he had asked her to call him, had caught her trespassing in his grounds when she had no right to be there but rather than scolding her he had complimented her. He had told her she was pretty and that he hoped he would see her again. He had also told her to call him Henry. That was completely unheard of for someone of his standing to allow such an informality with someone of hers.

It might have been Isabella's imagination but Henry seemed as if he wasn't as interested in following formalities as he should have been. Then again he was young, Isabella thought her mother had once told her that the pair of them where the same age. Either way she was sure that he wasn't like any other members of the royal family (even though he was the first one she had ever had the opportunity to meet).

Isabella made her way back inside the Palace to where her mother had left her, being very careful not to be seen. Well, she thought, just because Henry had been as accommodating and letting her leave without punishment didn't mean any other member of the Palace would be. When she arrived back to her original spot her mother was furiously waiting for her. She was so angry that her daughter had wandered off without permission and Isabella knew that she would be servilely punished when she returned home and she would never be allowed to return to the Palace until Her Majesty required her services but she no longer cared.

All Isabella could think about was her conversation with Henry, his compliment on her appearance still replaying over and over in her head and the back of her hand tingling from the kiss. She knew he was handsome but he thought she was pretty too – that was the part that she had trouble believing. She very much hoped that they did meet again; she very much wanted to be able to have a real introduction with him now that they had spoken. She was now very much looking forward to when she could return to the Palace, when she could have the opportunity to spend each day within its walls and, maybe if she was lucky she would get the chance to meet the young Prince again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, so here it is - Chapter 2! I'm probably going to make this a weekly update thing and pretty soon we'll be getting into the actual series story-line rather than the prequel if that makes sense. Anyway hope you enjoy :D**

From that first meeting Isabella was desperate to see the Prince again, so desperate that she was practically counting the days until she reached the age when she would be accepted to work as Elizabeth of York's ladies maid. Once she turned thirteen she hoped and prayed that every day her mother would come home from the Palace and tell her that her services would be required. She desperately wanted to be a member of the Queen's court, even if it was only to steal another fleeting glance at Henry.

Even after their brief meeting when she was a child she was infatuated with the Prince. Henry was everything that she dreamed of – handsome, athletic and charming – but she could never have him and she knew it. She knew that she would never have a chance to be with someone of Henry's social standing – he was the potential future King of England for goodness sake and she was the daughter of a servant. But there was nothing to stop Isabella dreaming and enjoying her infatuation with him while it lasted. Besides she knew it was highly likely that she would never even see him again.

* * *

Six months after Isabella turned thirteen her mother informed her that the Queen required her service as one of her ladies maids. Isabella was thrilled; this was the chance she had been waiting for! This was her chance to potentially see the Prince again, even if it was only for a fleeting second. Isabella was sure that Henry wouldn't remember her even if their paths did cross but she would still very much like to see him again.

When her first day of service arrived Isabella's mother took her to the Palace and she was introduced to Her Majesty along with a number of other girls all similar ages to her. She was informed what her duties would entail and what would be required of her. Isabella listened intently, trying to remember everything that she would have to know to do her job correctly. There was so much to do with etiquette; remembering to speak when spoken to, remembering to courtesy and remembering to always hold one's self with grace when in the presence of a better...and that was just with other members of the court, never mind members of the royal family.

A few days after joining the court Isabella had been sent on an errand by Her Majesty and, even though they had all received a tour of the Palace when they first arrived, she found that she was completely lost. Every single corridor in this place looked exactly the same as every other! It was impossible to discern one from the other and it was also impossible to find your way around after just one touring. Isabella supposed that she would eventually get used to it, she would learn to navigate her way around the Palace and manage to remember all the rules but that wasn't helping her right now.

Isabella turned a corner to yet other corridor that looked exactly like all the other corridors and wondered if she should turn back, find someone and ask them for directions. She knew she may get into trouble; she would be told that she should know her way around by now and would be accused of not listening to her instructions but she knew that she would be in even more trouble if she returned late. She was about to turn back when she saw a figure coming towards her from the other end of the corridor. She continued on down her path intending to stop them and ask the way back to the Queen's chambers; it was the only thing she could do at this moment.

As the figure got closer Isabella almost dropped the linens she had been sent to pick up. The person walking towards her was none other than Prince Henry himself. Isabella's heart nearly stopped beating as the Prince continued towards her. She stopped a few feet away from him and curtseyed, lowering her eyes (even in her current state of shock she managed to remember what she should do in the presence of a Prince).

"Your Majesty." she murmured expecting him to walk straight past her. To her immense surprise the Prince stopped. She looked up into his face and saw that he was smiling at her.

"Hello again Miss Lockhart." he said cordially.

"Good afternoon You Majesty." she replied blushing and averting her eyes again. She couldn't quite believe that he remembered her even though their meeting must have been at least six years ago.

"It has been too long since we last met." Henry said. Isabella tried to process what was happening – the Prince actually remembered her! This was insane; there was no possible way that he would have remembered someone like her, not when he was presented with all manner of beautiful women on a daily basis. "Is there something wrong?" he asked when she failed to comment.

"Forgive me, Your Highness," she said, her blush deepening as she continued to look away. "I was not expecting you to remember me, that's all."

"How could I not?" the Prince asked taking a step towards her. "How could I possibly forget the girl hiding out in the Palace grounds when she shouldn't even have been there at all?" Isabella's blush deepened at his words and she shifted nervously. "What brings you back here?" he asked.

"I've just been hired as a member of your mother's court." she explained, still trying to refrain from maintaining eye contact with him.

"I'm very glad to see you again." Henry stated and Isabella allowed herself to smile but still kept her gaze on the floor. "You have grown even more beautiful." Isabella's smile faltered and she looked up, staring at the Prince. She could not deny that he too had grown even more handsome in his adolescence but it still surprised and delighted her that he too should think the same of her.

"Thank you Your Majesty." she said, curtseying again. "You flatter me too much."

"I thought I told you when we last met," the Prince said, a smile creeping onto his face again. "to call me Henry." Isabella's mouth hung open for a minute – she had no idea how to respond to this insane suggestion that he was so adamant about.

"I...I don't think that would be proper Your Highness." she stammered. Henry snorted with laughter.

"I don't particularly care about what is considered proper or not." he told her taking another step towards her. Suddenly realising how close his proximity was to her Isabella looked around in worry, terrified that someone would come round the corner and discover her with him. She was also concerned that she was becoming increasingly later and later in getting back to her mistress.

"I...um, your mother...well I need to...I mean she'll be waiting...and I'll be missed." Isabella stuttered. She couldn't seem to get her brain to focus properly; the Prince's proximity was having a definite and embarrassing effect on her. She couldn't decide whether it was just because he was the Prince or whether it was because he was so devilishly handsome (and Isabella could not deny that he was handsome) but something about him was making it impossible for her to form a sentence or make her brain function properly.

"What is a few seconds more?" he asked shrugging. He placed his hand on the back of her neck and Isabella's breath caught in her throat. This could not be happening; she could not be alone in a corridor with the Prince, he could not have told her that she was beautiful and he could not be leaning in towards her face the way that he was.

Henry continued to close the gap between the two of them until their noses were just touching. Isabella felt as if her skin was on fire; her heart was hammering against her ribcage, she was trembling with nerves and she had virtually stopped breathing altogether. As Henry softly brushed his lips against hers her eyes shot open in surprise but as he applied more pressure to the kiss they slid closed in contentment.

The linens she had been holding slid out of her hands and fell at their feet as her hands rushed up to tangle into Henry's soft dark hair. She knew that what they were doing was wrong – she was only a ladies maid and he was hair to the throne for goodness sake! Things like that just didn't happen! She knew that it would never be more than this kiss but in that moment she couldn't stop herself wanting him. Every girl in the kingdom wanted to be in her position at that moment and Isabella surely didn't want to trade places with anyone else for love nor money in that second.

Henry finally pulled away from the kiss leaving Isabella wanting more, in spite of her better judgements. Henry smirked at her, it was clear he knew the effect he had on her and it was also clear that he enjoyed having that effect on her. He took her hand, just as he had done on their first meeting and brought it to his lips in the gentlest of kisses. Isabella felt the blush igniting on her face again and she knew that he was enjoying it. He let go of her hand and without another word continued down along the corridor.

"You were going in the right direction." he called back to her.

"Excuse me?" Isabella asked breaking out of the stupor he had put her in.

"My mother's chambers are just along this corridor," he said, not turning to look at her even though she had turned to stare after him. "I would hurry back to her."

"Th…thank you Your Highness." Isabella replied breathlessly, forgetting that he had specifically told her to call him Henry. At the end of the corridor he turned to look at her and flashed her that beautiful smile of his.

"I am glad that you have been asked to work here, Isabella." he stated putting that same emphasis on dropping the formality and calling her by her first name as he had last time. "I hope to see much more of you over the coming months." He bowed slightly to her and then turned the corner.

As soon as he was out of her sight Isabella hurriedly collected herself. She dropped to the floor and began collecting the scattered linens, hoping against hope that their tumble to the floor had not dirtied them in any way. She swiftly folded them to how they had been when she picked them up so no one would be any the wiser and continued on her way. She took the directions Henry had given her and at the end of the corridor she found the Queen's chambers. She curtseyed and apologised profusely for her lateness.

"What kept you my dear?" the Queen asked her as she handed the linens over. She didn't seem angry in fact she almost seemed as if she knew exactly what had made Isabella late in returning to her.

"I am so very sorry Your Majesty but I lost my way while returning." Isabella stated looking down at the floor in embarrassment and blushing. The Queen tilted her head up so that Isabella had to look into her eyes. She studied her young maid, smiling warmly at her.

"There is no need to apologise, you are new to the Palace." she said comfortingly. "In time you will learn."

"Thank you Your Majesty." Isabella curtseyed again, her face still a light pink. "I only wish to serve and prove my worth." she stated. The Queen smiled warmly at her again.

"I'm sure that you will, my dear." she replied as she signalled for another of her ladies maids to show Isabella what needed to be done next. "In fact I don't doubt it."


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok so I lied we're not getting into season cannon just yet, there's a little bit more beforehand. I imagined this chapter to be about two years after the last chapter so Isabella and Henry are about 15. I know I've been updating these in the mornings but I had to work today but better later than never haha thank you everyone for reading and reviews and I hope you enjoy this installment :D**

The rest of Isabella's first day in the Palace was rather uneventful; she continued to learn the duties that she would have to perform and was even allowed to perform a number of the simpler tasks on her own without supervision. No matter how occupied her mind was with her work all her thoughts were of Henry and the kiss that the two of them had shared. His lips were so soft and gentle and when he had kissed her, her stomach had fluttered uncontrollably and something strange had awakened within her. She had no idea what this new feeling was but all she knew was that she wanted more of it.

Isabella wanted Henry. She wanted to be around him constantly, she wanted to see him and, if possible, she desperately wanted to kiss him again. That was impossible though; she was no better than a servant and he was a member of the royal family but she could imagine and hope. If nothing else she could dream that one day she could marry Henry despite the fact that his family – and the rest of the world – would never allow it. Aside from that fact she knew that things change; life was never certain and she may meet the love of hers tomorrow and forget all about the Prince because Isabella was nothing if not a realist, even if she was an idealist at the same time.

The only thing she could hope for was that the likelihood of her running into Henry every day would slowly dispel the feelings that he stirred within her. His constant presence would mean that she would get used to him and he would no longer make her heart flutter every time she came across him. And if that failed to work then she could at least hope that there was another chance of a private encounter once again...even if it was only a hope.

* * *

Henry knew that whatever he wanted he could get. Be it possessions, money or women he could snap his fingers and it would be given to him. Well of course it would, he was the son of the King of England for goodness sake and since his brother Arthur's death he was now next in line for the damn throne! Whatever material possession he wanted he could have but Henry soon realised that there was one thing he craved more than anything and it was one thing that he could never truly have...well not if he wanted to keep everything else he possessed.

What Henry desired above all else was the girl he had caught wandering around the Palace grounds when she should not have been in the building at all. What Henry wished he could have more than anything was his mother's new ladies maid; so beautiful, shy and so aware of her position in the scheme of things. What Henry wanted more than anything else on Earth was Isabella Lockhart. He wanted to possess her, mark her as his, taint her innocence and never let her go once he had her.

The problem was Henry knew that his father would never allow it. He could take the young maiden as a mistress, have his way with her whenever he wanted (she was hardly in a position to refuse him, now was she?), but he would never be able to truly have her for his own. He would be married off to some Princess his father deemed worthy to be the future Queen and Isabella would probably grow up to marry a man her parents adored – probably a reverend, a Palace groom or someone else with a stable profession who could look after her properly.

Henry knew that he had to come to terms with this, it was his birth right to rule England with a suitable Queen but there was nothing to stop him from wondering. Wondering what Isabella would look like when she reached eighteen, wondering what she would feel like as she lay trembling beneath him, wondering what she would look like as he drove her over the edge and made her scream out his name.

Of course these were all purely idle thoughts on his part, for one thing he had no idea whether she would be interested in him (of course she was, if her reaction after he had kissed her was anything to go by and also he was the Prince – he was a very eligible potential husband even at the young age of fourteen). For another thing he knew that as long as his father was King he would never allow his son to marry a serving girl. But maybe, just maybe, when he became King that law could be changed...

* * *

As her days working in the Palace went on Isabella found everything quickly began to fall into place; she grasped the duties that Her Majesty wished of her, she remembered what was required of her at certain times and she managed to suppress her growing desire for Henry whenever she happened to see him. He, of course, did nothing to help this but Isabella supposed that that is what could be expected from an adolescent boy and he was probably not doing it on purpose, although she couldn't be sure. Having no older brothers herself, she had no authority on the desires and whims of men her own age but she could assume.

Henry had taken up this annoying habit of constantly staring at Isabella whenever they were in the same room together. She found it very distracting having his eyes on her the entire time she was supposed to be concentrating on her duties and she desperately wished that she could ask him to stop but she knew that she was not allowed to address the Prince unless her addressed her first. That was the most important rule that the servants had to learn and that was all Isabella was to him – she was a servant.

One cold day in late January Isabella was preparing a fire for the Queen in one of the smaller, cosier rooms of the Palace when she heard the door softly close. She quickly stood up from the fireplace and turned to the source of the noise. Henry was standing in the doorway, facing her, his back against the dark mahogany. Isabella curtseyed and averted her eyes from him, as she had been taught to do. She heard footsteps on the polished wooden floor as Henry advanced towards her. He stopped just in front of her and Isabella felt a blush creep up on her cheeks in spite of herself, she wished he didn't have this effect on her but he had grown to be even more handsome as the years went on.

Henry took hold of her chin and tilted her head up so that she was forced to look into his eyes; his bright eyes that she found herself lost in every single time she looked into them. His proximity to her, his gentle touch and the prospect of sharing another intimate kiss with him made Isabella's heart hammer against her ribcage until she was sure that it would burst right out of her chest at any given moment.

"Miss Lockhart." he said, his voice velvety smooth and gentle yet powerful and commanding at the same time. Isabella felt her knees begin to weaken and her breath begin to catch in her throat. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take!

"Y... Your Majesty." she stammered, trying to pretend that she was maintaining some composure at the very least. Henry smirked at her breathless state – evidentially he could see straight through her act, it wasn't very convincing at all.

"It has been a while since we have had the chance to converse." the Prince stated still not letting go of Isabella's chin. "Whenever I try to catch you alone I seem to be unsuccessful."

"Why would you want to catch me alone, Your Highness?" she asked. Henry flashed her an expression halfway between a smile and a smirk and Isabella's heart almost stopped beating right there and then.

"Because I very much desired to continue where we left off last time." he told her. Isabella stared at him in shock; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was she hearing him correctly? Henry, heir to the throne and future King on England, was saying that he wanted her Isabella Lockhart, servant to his mother and with no nobility in the family line at all.

"And where would that be Your Highness?" she asked, a tiny bubble of confidence swelling in her chest. She wanted to seem aloof as ladies who found themselves in this situation should be but she found herself more asking for clarification that her suspicions weren't incorrect.

"I believe," Henry stated, using her chin to pull her closer to him and wrapping his other hand around her waist. "it was somewhere around here." With that he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers gently.

Isabella was as shocked as she had been the last time he had kissed her but found herself recovering quicker from the initial shock. This time she found herself taking hold of the front of Henry's shirt in an attempt to steady herself and pull him closer to her at the same time. The hand that had been holding her chin moved so that it was tangled in her long brown hair. His fingers began massaging her scalp and Isabella could not help the soft moan that escaped the back of her throat.

She felt Henry smirk against her lips as the sound met his ears and he increased the pressure of his lips on hers. Desire flashed through Isabella's veins and fluttered in her stomach, she felt as if she had died and gone to heaven. A small part of her was fairly sure that she had actually died – as soon as his lips touched hers again she was sure that she had actually ceased to exist in the land of the living and God had given her her one last earthly desire.

As Henry slipped his hand from the around her waist to the small of her back and then down further to cup her backside she finally came to her senses. This couldn't be happening! For one thing it was irresponsibly – anyone could walk in and discover them – but for another (and to her an even more important reason) she could not give up her purity before she was engaged. If it was discovered that she had she would be branded a whore and her parents would cast her out of the house. She could lose her job if it was discovered that she had slept with the Prince, leaving her with nowhere to go. She used her grasp on Henry's coat to push him back slightly.

"What?" he asked panting slightly from their kiss.

"I'm sorry, You Highness, but I can't..." she trailed off not sure how to finish her sentence. Henry kissed her softly once more. There was something different about that kiss; there was less aggressive desire behind it and more genuine affection.

"I understand." he stated "We are only young, there is still plenty of time." Isabella swallowed, unsure of what he meant and knowing exactly what he meant at the same time. Henry let go of his hold on her and she very quickly began to straighten herself up so that she was, once again, presentable.

"Thank you, You Majesty." she replied, not truly knowing what to say in response. Henry chuckled softly.

"I thought I told you to call me Henry. How many more times must I ask you?" he asked but he didn't seem like he was angry that she had disobeyed him, he seemed more amused by her constant refusal to allow herself to be on first name terms with him. Isabella smiled.

"Just once more Your Highness." she said and curtseyed. Henry chuckled again and began to leave the room. As he reached the door he turned to face her again.

"Until our next encounter, Isabella." he stated, putting that same emphasis on using her first name as he always did just before he left her, and Isabella was sure that she saw a glint of mischief in his eye. He closed the door behind him as he left and she swiftly went about preparing the fire as the Queen would surely be on her way by now and she would be in trouble if the room was not prepared to Her Majesty's liking.

As she worked all that she could think about were Henry's parting words. She desperately hoped that they would get the chance for another...encounter soon. There was just something about him that made her forget the fact that there could never be anything more between them than this; sneaking chaste kisses in empty rooms and whispered conversations in corridors. Isabella knew it would never be more than that but she knew that every time their lips touched she would no longer have the power to care.


	4. Chapter 4

**So here is the chapter you've all been waiting for; the next stage in Henry and Isabella's relationship. They're nearly 18 in the time line. I tried to keep the style of writing as it would have been described in that time period so lemons and historical inaccuracies ahead, hope you enjoy :)**

Other the following years the relationship between Isabella and Henry began to blossom. She would find excuses to see him; if the Queen ever required his presence Isabella would always volunteer to fetch him. The Queen was perfectly happy with this arrangement, in fact she found it rather endearing; Isabella was a good worker and it was often the case that Henry would refuse to come if it was not Isabella who went to fetch him. Henry also found excuses to see her; he waited until he knew that she was alone and would go to converse with her while she worked.

Henry enjoyed watching her while she worked; he found her fascinating and she was very easy on his eyes as well. The curve of her spine when she carried something that was particularly heavy, the flush of her cheeks as she exerted herself dashing all over the Palace and the intricate way her fingers made even the most difficult of tasks look easy. Henry was enthralled by her and every time they were together his infatuation only grew. The same could be said for her; every conversation they had, every time they shared a secret kiss Isabella could feel her desire for him gradually becoming stronger until she was most definitely falling in love with him.

Of course, the two of them had to keep their relationship a secret. The King would never allow Henry to be with a serving girl, especially not after the death of his wife and first born son. Henry's marriage to a Princess to save ties with other countries was paramount. Henry had even begun to suspect that his father was trying to marry him off to Arthur's widow Catherine. Isabella made no comment on the subject whenever he voiced these suspicions to her – 'it wasn't her place to say anything', she would always reply.

"What if it was your place?" he asked her one afternoon.

"I don't understand." she replied. Henry got off the chair he had been sitting on and made his way towards her. He put his arm around her waist, pulled her to his chest and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes.

"What if it was your place to comment on whether I marry Catherine or not?" he asked. Isabella blushed and cleared her throat, turning her face away so that she was not looking into Henry's eyes.

"Well if it were my place to comment on the subject I would prefer if you did not marry her." she told him, stumbling over her words.

"And why is that?" Henry whispered huskily in her ear. Isabella bit her lip and cleared her throat again, trying to refrain from melting at the sound of his voice.

"Because..." she began, choosing her words very carefully. "hypothetically speaking, I would prefer to be the one that you were to marry." Henry tilted her face up, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"I would prefer you to be the one that I marry too." he told her. "I would much prefer to marry you than Catherine; you have a personality Isabella. I feel I can be myself around you; not the heir my father wants me to be not the Duke the kingdom wants me to be but the person I want to be." He leaned towards her to kiss her but she swiftly turned her head so that his lips collided with her cheek.

"But, as I have said before, it is not my place to say." she reminded him giving him a pointed look. Henry sighed and let go of her waist. Sometimes she was much too realistic for her own good, but it was also one of the things that he loved about her. He watched her as she went back to her work and it looked as if she was trying to hold back tears.

Maybe their affair was costing her a great deal more than it was costing him. He knew that while his father was King then he could never be with her but he held on to the hope that eventually he would take over the throne and he could marry whomever he wanted. Isabella did not have that hope. All she knew was that one day Henry would be made to marry a Princess (more than likely Catherine if his father and the King of Spain had their way) and that would leave her as what? His mistress? His whore?

Continuing a teenage infatuation that consisted of sneaking around and never being able to show their true affection for each other was not the life that Isabella had planned for herself. It was not the life that Isabella deserved and it certainly wasn't the life that Henry wanted to condemn her to. She deserved to have a husband that could proudly show her off in public, not one who could not allow himself to marry her for fear of what his father would do to the two of them. Maybe he should put an end to the affair but the way she was standing at that moment, folding some freshly washed linens before returning them to their rightful place, he knew he wanted to be selfish for just a moment longer. He couldn't let her go just yet.

* * *

Henry didn't let her go. Even though his better judgement had told him that he should he didn't. The two continued their affair until both had reached the age of seventeen; it was made vastly easier by the fact that Isabella now worked in the Palace full time. Her parents had died in the early New Year, after both suffered a harsh bought of pneumonia, leaving her an orphan. Henry had offered her a permanent as a member of the Palace staff and as she had worked for the family for many years his father had not objected to his son's decision.

It was not only that Isabella worked in the Palace but she lived there as well. She had her own quarters which were only a few constantly deserted corridors from Henry's. (Isabella suspected that the Prince may have had a hand in this but she didn't broach the subject when they were together.) This made it very easy for the two of them to see each other during the late hours of the night. They were also less likely to get caught if their trysts too place in one of their chambers.

The only thing that their relationship had not grown into was a sexual one, although not for lack of trying on Henry's part. He had tried to take their relationship further on numerous occasions but Isabella always stopped him before he could go too far. Although frustrated after their encounters Henry knew why she was refusing to sleep with him; she wanted to maintain her purity for if she ever was to marry.

The thought of Isabella marrying another man awoke something within Henry that he had never experienced before. He was jealous of Isabella's future husband and it was absurd that he should be. His father would never allow the two of them to marry leaving her free to marry whomever she desired (especially now that her parents were gone and there was no one else to have any say in the matter.) He himself was also still betrothed to Catherine, when it finally came to light that her marriage to Arthur had not been consummated that is. Henry half hoped that it would prove to have been – he did not want to marry Catherine, but his father wished to keep an alliance with Spain meaning that he had no choice in the matter.

* * *

Two months before Henry turned eighteen his father passed away very suddenly. Now with his father and his elder brother gone that made him the new King of England. He was due to be crowned shortly after his father's funeral and he would be expected to take a wife very soon after that. There was only one woman he wished to take but the pressure he was receiving from his father's court, pressing him into an alliance with a maiden from another country (namely Catherine) were mounting. This was ridiculous, Henry thought to himself, what was the good of being the King if you didn't get the opportunity to change the law to suit you?

Isabella was retiring for the evening when he broached the subject to her once again. He had snuck into her room after the sun had set with the intention of making her a proposition. When he had found her she had been changing into her night clothes and the sight of her in next to nothing made him momentarily forget what he had come to talk to her about. He cleared his throat to alert her to his presence.

"Henry!" Isabella turned round startled, grabbing her robe in order to cover herself. Henry smiled to himself, it had taken her a very long time before she felt comfortable calling him by his name and that was only when he was in her room. Even when they were alone in other parts on the Palace she still referred to him as His Highness or Majesty. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I came to see you." he stated. "I had something I wanted to talk to you about." But the way she was looking at him; blonde hair tousled slightly, skin softly flushed and bottom lip trapped between her teeth as she looked at him in confusion, made him completely forget what.

"What did you want to say?" she asked. Henry took a step towards her and Isabella suddenly became painfully aware of how little she was wearing, he had walked in on her when she was changing after all. Henry looked her up and down taking every inch of her body and decided that what he had come here to tell her could wait.

Without a word Henry pulled Isabella towards him by the front of her robe and passionately crashed their lips together. Isabella let out an involuntary moan as he slipped an arm around her slim waist and tangled his other in her hair, giving her long tresses a firm but gentle pull. She moaned again and pressed her body flush against his. A growl rumbled in Henry's chest as Isabella wove her hands through his own hair and pulled softly. He pushed her backwards until her back collided with the wall, causing her to gasp against his lips.

Henry used this to his advantage and slipped his tongue past her open lips and began to massage it against her own. As their tongues collided in heated passion Isabella arched her back off the wall pushing herself closer to Henry. She couldn't think about anything other than what was happening, her heart felt as though it would break out of her chest and she could hardly catch her breath. Isabella used her grip around his neck to pull him closer into the kiss; she wanted him, she wanted all of him and there was no way that she was going to stop him from continuing what he was doing.

A hand shifted slightly from round Isabella's waist and slipped up the front of her robe to rest on one of her ample breasts. She moaned against his lips as he rubbed his thumb over one of her swiftly hardening nipples. Isabella felt her legs beginning to weaken, not to mention her resolve, as Henry began trailing kisses from her swollen lips across her jaw and down her neck. She clutched at his hair and pressed his mouth into the crook of her neck as he began biting and sucking on the tender flesh he found there.

"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered in her ear. Isabella swallowed, she didn't know how to answer that question. She certainly didn't want him to stop what he was doing but she didn't want to lose her purity...but she really didn't want him to stop what he was doing. Henry rubbed his thumb over her nipple once again, she had to hold back the loud moan that threatened to escape and her resolve shattered completely.

"No," she breathed heavily in his ear. "don't stop." Henry smirked against her skin and continued to suck and bite on her neck as Isabella shuddered beneath him. He took hold of both her wrists and with one hand pinned them to the wall above her head while his other slipped inside her open robe and set to undo her night dress.

Once the top was open he slipped his wandering hand underneath the material and began to push it off her shoulder as he pressed his lips to hers once more. As the material fell away from Isabella's shoulder he ran his hand down to her now bare breast and began to caress it gently. He rubbed his thumb over her nipple once again and she moaned against his lips. Her own lips parted and he slipped his tongue into her hot mouth and began massaging it against hers once again.

Isabella's skin ignited at Henry's every touch, her knees were so weak she knew that if he let go of her she would just melt there and then. She strained her wrists against his hold, desperate to be able to touch him, to feel his muscles ripple underneath her hands, but his grip stayed firm. The hand that had been caressing her breast slowly made its way down her body until it reached the hem of her nightdress and began to slide up the inside of her thigh, taking the dress with it. His hand settled between her thighs and he started to slowly trace his fingers over her.

Isabella's entire body jolted at the contact and she began to strain even harder against his hold on her. Henry pulled away from the kiss and look at the beautiful sight in front of him that was Isabella; her hair was tousled from where he had run his fingers through it, her lips were slightly swollen, her eyes were clouded over with lust and her chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath. It was a truly breath-taking sight and he wanted to keep her in this state for as long as he possibly could. Slowly he slipped one of his fingers inside her.

She gasped at the dull pain the intrusion caused but as he brushed something inside her her gasp turned into a low moan of pleasure. Henry slowly began to move his finger in and out if her making sure that he barely brushed that spot that made her hips buck against his hand. He inserted another finger into her tight heat and he felt his groin twitch at the thought of throwing her down on the bed and plunging into her. Isabella bit her lip to hold back the moans that were reverberating in the back of her throat, afraid that if she was too loud someone would hear them, but as Henry finally hit that spot inside her she leaned her head back against the wall and moaned loudly.

Seeing his lover in the throes of ecstasy made Henry's resolve break – he needed to be inside her now. He let go of her hands, ripped off her nightdress and pushed her down on to the bed. Isabella propped herself up on her elbows and watched as Henry very swiftly removed his own clothing. Within seconds he stood naked before her and Isabella took a moment to take in the sight. He was stunningly handsome, not only in the face but everywhere; years of riding and learning to fight had left him with powerful legs and a muscular torso. Isabella's stomach contracted as her gaze moved down to his, now free, erection.

There had been rumours of Henry's endowment circulating around the Palace from a number of the other servant girls but the rumours certainly did him no justice. Isabella could find no fault with it (despite the fact that Henry was the first man she had ever seen naked) and as she looked she realised that she desperately wanted him inside her. No, it was more than a mere want – she needed to have Henry inside her. She sat up on the bed, closed the distance between the two of them and pressed her lips to the taught skin of his lower abdomen. She heard Henry gasp at the contact and felt his rock hard member twitch slightly as she began to suck lightly at his sweet flesh.

She began to move her kisses lower down towards his crotch while, at the same time, running her hand up the inside of one of his strong thighs. Just as her hand was about to come into contact with his manhood an animalistic growl leapt from his chest, he grabbed both her hands and pushed her down on to her back on the bed. She gasped slightly as her back came into contact with the mattress but as Henry climbed on top of her, pinning her down, she gazed up at him with half lidded eyes.

"You have no idea what you're doing to me." he told her before attacking her neck with his lips again and grinding his hips down so that his erection rubbed against the inside of her thigh. She moaned wantonly and brought her own hips up to meet his, trying to get another feeling of that delicious friction between their bodies once again.

Isabella reached up to run her hand through his dark hair and as she did she took hold of the back of his head and pulled him down into another bruising kiss. Henry, in turn while propping himself up with one arm, ran one of his hands down her body taking in every curve and contour until he reached her hip. He slipped his hand round to cup her backside and used it to pull her groin up to meet his, earning him another throaty groan from the girl underneath him. Using this hold on her he pulled her leg up so that it was resting on his hip, spreading her legs apart. He positioned himself between them, readying himself to enter her.

"Do you consent?" he asked, panting slightly. Isabella nodded.

"Please…fuck me." she whispered in his ear. That was all the encouragement Henry needed and in one swift motion he pushed into her, filling her completely.

Isabella cried out in paid as her hymen broke. It felt as if her insides were being ripped apart, the pain was burning through her entire body and she clutched onto Henry's shoulders as she rode it out, knowing that once he hit that spot inside her again it would completely melt away. Henry buried his face in the crook of her neck, trying not to lose his self-control entirely as her heat and tightness overcame him. He waited for her to adjust planting soft kisses along her neck and jawline. Henry shifted his position ever so slightly and the pain Isabella was feeling was suddenly swept away by pure pleasure. She moaned softly, signalling to him that she wanted him to continue.

Filled with this new confidence Henry began to drive in and out of Isabella and she continued to writhe and moan beneath him. She wrapped her legs around his hips and he drove deeper inside her, as he did he hit that spot he had before but this time with a force that made her vision blur and her voice tremble as she called out his name. Each time his name fell from her lips he could feel himself getting closer to the edge and as he felt her walls beginning to clench around him he felt his own orgasm building.

He quickened his pace and began to pound her into the mattress beneath them, each time making sure that he hit that place that made her moan and tremble. She clutched at his back as he drove her closer and closer to the edge, heavy moans falling hard and fast from her lips no longer caring who heard her or if they were discovered. All she could think of was Henry and what he was doing to her. How he filled her completely with every thrust, how his lips felt against her skin and how, with every single thrust, he managed to hit the spot that made her scream.

A few more thrusts and Isabella was pushed over the edge. She reached her climax moaning Henry's name and raking her nails down his back. This dull pain coupled with her clenching around him as she rode out her orgasm pushed him past the point of no return too and he came, filling her with his essence before collapsing on top of her and pressing a sloppy kiss to her sweat slicked forehead as they both came down from their high. Henry rolled off her and pulled her close to his chest. She laid her head against him, hearing his heart beat decreasing to normal in his chest.

"Henry," she began once her breathing had finally returned to normal. "what did you want to say when you came in?" Henry tilted her head up so that she was looking into his eyes.

"Marry me." he stated. Isabella sat up, clutching the bed sheets over her exposed chest, her dishevelled hair falling about her shoulders. She stared at him in confusion as if he had gone completely mad.

"What?" she asked.

"I am asking you, Isabella Lockhart, to consent to be my wife and marry me." he said again, this time more slowly to make her understand.

"Henry I…I can't..." she began but he cut her off.

"Yes you can!" he told her. "I am the King now, I get to say whom I marry or not. We no longer have to worry about what my father will say – we no longer have to hide. I can take you as my wife and parade you to the Kingdom."

"But what about Catherine?" she asked.

"To hell with Catherine!" he exclaimed. "I want to take you as my wife I have no desire to be with her. Catharine's marriage to my brother may have been consummated anyway meaning that if I marry her I will be doing a great wrong against God."

"But still to take me as your wife..." she began but her cut her off once again.

"Is what I want." he finished firmly. "It is what I have wanted for a very long time and I know that you want it too. You told me you did."

"That was a long time ago." she murmured, looking away.

"Have your feelings changed?" he asked, cupping her head and making her look at him again. If they had he was very confused as to why she would have let him take her innocence.

"No..." she began.

"Then why are you so hesitant?" he asked. Isabella fell silent for a few moments trying to think of how to word what she wanted to tell him. "Do you think I am not honest in my affections for you?" he added.

"It's not that it's just…oh Henry be reasonable." Isabella implored him suddenly. "Yes, you are King now but you still have a Kingdom to think about and that Kingdom is even more important now."

"I don't understand." he stated. "Why should I not take you as my wife, the Kingdom will happily accept you as my Queen."

"And what if they don't? Where does that leave you? Where does that leave England?" she asked incredulously. "Shunned by the other royals of Europe because you have no marital alliances? Facing the prospect of war because you have refused their daughters in favour of a servant? I will not do that to you, I will not be the reason you are caused trouble by other countries."

"What are you saying Isabella?" Henry asked. Isabella looked into his eyes, tears beginning to fill her own.

"I'm saying that I cannot marry you." she told him. "I'm sorry but I will not marry you if it will cause you this much political trouble."

"I don't care, Isabella!" Henry stated. "I love you."

"I love you too, Henry, and that is why I cannot marry you. I'm just a servant and I can't be the Queen you need me to be." she told him, averting her eyes but feeling his gaze burning into her. He was silent for a long time and to Isabella, who was holding her breath in anticipation of the rage her refusal would surely ensue, it felt like a lifetime.

"If that is the way that you feel." he trailed off. He stood up and began to dress. Isabella picked up her robe and covered herself with it. She went over to him and tried to console him but he shrugged her off, continuing to dress himself. Isabella watched in silence as he finished putting his clothes on and made his way to the door.

"I'm sorry Your Majesty." she said. Henry noticed the sudden change back to formality and he knew that their relationship had changed forever.

"Goodnight Miss Lockhart." he stated monotonously, also switching back to formalities. He left the room closing the door behind him. Isabella let the tears she had been holding back spill from her eyes and she flung herself down on her bed and cried. She cried until she felt as if she had no more tears left within her. Her tears were for Henry – she had so desperately wanted to marry him but she knew that it would be a huge mistake. Her tears were also for herself and her lost purity to a man she loved so dearly and so completely, a man that she had loved ever since she had laid eyes on him when they were children, but had just turned down.

What had she done?


	5. Chapter 5

**So we're actually getting into the series cannon now so here is a little filler chapter because Henry can't stay away from Isabella forever :p**

After their night together and Isabella's refusal of Henry's offer of marriage Henry did not visit Isabella's chambers anymore. He stopped seeking her company and a few weeks later he suddenly announced his decision to marry his brother's widow Catherine of Aragon. For a long time a small part of Isabella wondered if he did actually love the woman or if he was only announcing this marriage in a childish attempt to get back at her for denying him. The later seemed even more likely to her when Isabella was introduced to Catherine as one of her new ladies maids. Serving the woman who got to be with the man that she loved was heart breaking for Isabella but, she supposed, she deserved nothing less – she had had her chance to marry Henry and have everything that she had ever dreamed of but she had turned him down. She had chosen to remain in her rightful place and she had to pay the price for that.

* * *

The years rolled on. Henry established himself as a great King, making England a better country in all walks of life. Isabella continued to work as Catharine's ladies maid and eventually found herself a confidant of the new Queen's. At first Isabella found this very strange; Catherine would tell her about any marital problems she and Henry were having and the fact that he rarely visited her chambers. Isabella never knew how to respond to these discussions but her silence seemed to help Her Majesty all the same – it appeared that she just needed someone to listen to her. More than anything the Queen seemed desperate to give her King the son and heir he so desired.

When Catherine conceived for the first time there was a great joy throughout the kingdom but that joy turned sour when the child was born as a still-birth and was a girl. It was not long after this that Catherine conceived once again and this time gave birth to a son. The entire country was overjoyed, not to mention the King and Queen, but once again this joy ran out as the child lived for only seven weeks. Catherine was devastated and Henry began to become cold and distant towards her, taking a number of different mistresses but never returning to Isabella.

After a few brief affairs Henry went to Catherine and she fell pregnant once again, only for the child to be another still-born. Henry's hopes of receiving an heir, any heir, were slowly dwindling and he desired comfort but found it nowhere. When all hope seemed lost that the King and Queen would gain a child Catherine fell pregnant once again and Henry's fears for the welfare of his unborn child consumed him. One day as she was alone servicing Catherine's bed chamber before Her Majesty arrived the King paid Isabella a visit.

"Your Majesty." she curtseyed on his arrival. He must have come in here by mistake, she thought, he hadn't sought her company for so long.

"Miss Lockhart." he smiled as he took her hand and kissed it softly. It was the smallest of gestures but it sent waves of desire flowing through Isabella once again as the memory of their night of passion together resurfaced. She could not tell if Henry felt it too but the air around her suddenly became very thick and heavy with want, hope, lust and desire and it felt as if it wasn't just coming from her.

"May I help you Your Majesty?" Isabella asked, averting her eyes and trying to rid herself of these feelings. If Henry had wanted her to be his mistress then he would have asked for her to come to his bed chambers, not any of the other girls. She had lost her chance to be with him when she had refused his proposal.

"I wanted to converse with you again, as we used to." Henry stated. "I know you are a great confidant of Her Majesty's and I remembered a time when you were also a great confidant of mine. I have missed talking with you... Isabella." And there it was; that emphasis he always used to put on calling her by her name and it made her heart skip.

"I too Your Majesty." she replied. Isabella tried not to react to this sudden change in formality but she didn't trust herself to do the same so settled for keeping the conversation formal on her part. She had learnt her place by now and would not allow herself to grant him such an informality as to call him by his first name again.

"May I speak plainly with you, Isabella?" he asked after a moment's silence.

"Of course Your Majesty." she replied, unsure of where he was going with this. He was keeping his distance and that was helping her keep her thoughts collected, which was something at least.

"It is not just that I have missed talking with you but I have missed you." he stated. "Seeing you every day and not being able to act as I used to. Seeing how beautiful you are and not being able to be with you."

"You have many mistresses Your Majesty." Isabella cut him off allowing herself a rueful smile as she turned to continue her work so that he wouldn't see any trace of hurt she may betray. Henry waved his hand dismissively.

"Girls." he replied flippantly. "Girls who are only interested in my status and power; they are nothing compared to you, Isabella. I should not have taken no for an answer when I proposed marriage to you all those years ago. I should not have cast you aside the way I did and I should have come to apologise sooner."

"There is no need to apologise Your Majesty." she told him, turning to face him. "When I rejected your proposal I was only thinking of your position as King, otherwise I would not have rejected you." Henry kissed her hand softly again and that feeling that had been dormant for so long jolted to life in Isabella's stomach. The memory of Henry inside her, filling her, making her tremble and bringing her total and complete ecstasy was almost too much for her.

"You are too good to me Isabella." he told her and used her hand to slowly pull her closer to him. When their bodies were almost touching he cupped her cheek in his hand, running his thumb over her smooth skin and softly pressed his lips to hers. The familiar feeling of his lips against hers was wonderful and Isabella quite forgot herself for a moment and began to kiss him back. She allowed her hands to travel up to wrap around his neck.

It was as if time had stopped in the moment that they were last together; Henry had never married Catherine, they had never drifted apart and all that was left was the two of them together after she had given herself to him. All that mattered was the fact that Henry's lips were against hers once again and that he wanted her. Still with his lips attached to hers he began to walk her backwards to the bed but the sudden realisation of where she was made Isabella snap back to rationality. She pushed him away slightly.

"I'm sorry...but I can't..." she began. "not here and not while your wife is pregnant." Henry sighed and kissed her forehead softly.

"At least one of us has held on to some morality over the years." he muttered. Isabella was unsure if she was supposed to hear that or not. "You know I worry that this child will be yet another still-born." he told her.

"If nothing else you can at least hope that it won't." Isabella replied giving him a small smile. Henry laughed softly.

"As always you are ever the optimist, Isabella."

"I have hope that things can improve, that the happiness that someone truly deserves will be granted to them in the end." she stated, looking away from him. "I also don't want to be responsible for causing someone else's misery." she added.

"You are very wise." Henry stated. "I hope that one day I can gain some of your wisdom."

"Thank you Your Majesty." she smiled. He pressed his lips to hers once again and turned to leave the room.

"I shall let you continue with your duties." he stated, leaning against the door frame slightly.

"Thank you Your Majesty." she replied and began to busy herself with tidying the room once again. Henry watched her for few minutes and then turned to leave.

"I hope to be able to converse with you again soon Isabella, I would not like to leave any more years where the two of us are unable to speak as we did when we were children."

"I hope so too Your Majesty." she smiled and curtseyed, as was the proper thing to do in this situation. He smiled back at her once again.

"Isabella, please find it in yourself to call me Henry as you once did."

"I promise to try...Henry." she replied, putting the same emphasis that he always put on her name on his. He smiled at her and then left her to continue her work, leaving her glad of what had transpired between them. Maybe after this they could mend and rebuild their relationship to the status it had previously been in.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys :) I've had a bit of a crazy working week this week so it's just a little filler chapter for now with a bit of history (well from the series anyway haha) hope you enjoy it.**

Shortly after Isabella and Henry's private meeting in Catherine's bed chamber the Queen gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. The newly born Princess brought joy to the entire Kingdom and also began to repair the damage that the deaths of their previous children had done to Henry and Catherine's marriage. As a token of gratitude for all she had done over the years Henry appointed Isabella as Princess Mary's head ladies maid, a token Isabella warmly and happily accepted.

The Princess grew into a beautiful young girl and an ideal wife for any Prince to marry. She was taught to be well versed in both French and Latin and her manners were impeccable. She was a wonderful daughter and a wonderful Princess and Isabella soon became her treasured friend and confidant. This new position of Isabella's meant that Henry found many more excuses to go and see her alone and gradually their friendship was restored to its previous state. Their affair was also rekindled with the two of them stealing chaste, and on occasion passionate, kisses in secluded rooms once Henry's young daughter was fast asleep.

Isabella refused to take their relationship any further, stating that it would not be right considering the role she played in the lives of both Mary and Catherine. Henry, although frustrated by this in numerous ways, agreed. Isabella was the only woman that could turn Henry down without making him fly into a rage; she was the only woman who could refuse him and be so moral and sincere in her reasoning that he found himself agreeing with her opinion. He loved her so that he would do anything to please her even if that meant being sexually frustrated until she decided she was ready again.

This did not last. Even though his love for Isabella was stronger than his love for Catherine Henry found it hard to stay faithful to both without indulging in his primal lusts. Henry took for himself a new mistress, one Lady Blount who replaced Isabella as one of Catherine's ladies maids when she went to look after Mary. Isabella could not help but notice the similarities between Lady Blount and herself – both were blonde, with blue eyes and pale skin, both were slightly shorter than the King and both were of a similar build. Isabella knew that this was not Henry trying to get back at her; this was him finding a substitute until he could finally have her once again.

Women were not the only problem's Henry found himself facing though. A number of political difficulties began to surface in the years after Mary's birth. His uncle was murdered in Italy by the French and after mourning his death Henry stated that this act of violence was just cause to go to war with France. Catherine, Thomas More and Cardinal Wolsey (both of whom had become confidants to the King in the last few years) begged him to reconsider, change his mind or sign a treaty with another country. Isabella, when asked by Henry, made no comment on the subject aside from to say that she knew nothing about politics so her opinion would be redundant.

Wolsey and More managed to change Henry's mind about the war against France, pushing him in the direction to sign a peace treaty and untie England, France and Italy stating that is was the 'application of humanist principals to international affairs'. Catherine was not happy about this as it seemed to her that Henry was spurning her family and she was even less happy about Mary's arranged marriage to the Dauphin of France. Henry stated that Mary was his to do with as he willed and her marriage would help bring peace to a number of nations and that was the final word of the matter.

Not only was a potential war with France and a peace treaty a problem but Henry was facing opposition from one Lord Buckingham. Buckingham was convinced that he was the rightful heir to the throne, stating loudly that Henry's father had stolen the throne from his family and often challenging Henry's authority openly and in public. Isabella had heard him make many comments that could result in him being executed for treason but she had no desire to get involved with politics or Buckingham's pathetic feud. She knew it would never come to anything; the country loved Henry as King and they would never side with Buckingham if he tried to overthrow him. Also Buckingham could (and would) easily be dealt with if he tried to take the throne.

Isabella knew the vast majority of what happened within the castle walls although most of it she kept to herself, not wanting to rock the boat with her opinions – especially if it concerned things that she had no real knowledge of. All she knew was that Henry was headstrong and would do as he wished regardless of the advice of others. Henry was passionate and often let his emotions get the better of him, on one occasion it almost cost him the treaty with France. He may have been headstrong and prone to fits of rage on occasion but to Isabella he had never been anything but loving and kind because he knew that she would not stand for his acting like a petulant child.

Whenever he did fly into a rage Isabella would be there to comfort him, to calm him and to listen to him. She never commented on his situation, always saying that it was not her place to comment on. On occasion the only way that she could calm him down would be to make him forget about his troubles and she soon found herself becoming his mistress once again. He had dalliances with other women but he always found himself returning to Isabella, his other liaisons were short lived and he tired of them quickly but he had a special place in his heart for her.

Luckily for Isabella, as well as Henry never tiring of her, one thing she managed to escape was the fate of another of Henry's mistresses. Isabella found out about the condition that Lady Blount found herself in after her dalliance with the King shortly after Lady Blount herself. The young woman found herself pregnant with Henry's illegitimate child and she knew that eventually she would no longer be able to hide her condition from Catherine and would be dismissed when the Queen found out.

Once she discovered her condition Lady Blount had begged Isabella for her help, she had implored that as a close personal friend of the King (because of the role she played in his daughter's life, of course) she would be able to ask for his help with the child when it was born. Ever wanting to help someone in need Isabella told her that she would help the Lady; she would tell the King and get him to provide for the child when it was born. When he heard the news Henry was overjoyed with the prospect of having a son for his heir and made all the necessary preparations for when the child was born.

Although illegitimate the King was overjoyed when Lady Blount gave birth to a son; Henry Fitzroy. Henry rejoiced in finally having a male heir and the rest of the kingdom celebrated with him. Henry was so thrilled he shouted it from the rooftops, held parties all over the kingdom and fireworks were set off above the castle. The child was recognised as legitimate (meaning that he would then become king following Henry's death) and a small part of Isabella suspected that this was only because it was a boy – if the child had been born a girl the circumstances of their legitimacy would have been very different.

Unfortunately Henry Fitzroy fell ill and did not survive passed the age of seven. His death devastated Henry and his mother Lady Blount. Lady Blount was cast aside by Henry and was no longer his mistress, all Henry cared about was the fact that he had lost his only male heir – he had lost the son he had so desired from Catherine. This illegitimate child, no matter how short his lifespan was put great strain on his marriage to Catherine. Henry was angry that she had failed to produce a son and Catherine was angry that Henry had legitimised his bastard child over his daughter and with both husband and wife confiding in her Isabella found herself caught in the middle of it all.

**Sorry if this was a bit boring/just kinda sucked I'll get back to the actual story when I'm not working 13 hours a day every day haha**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, it's Monday again yay :D so last week was pretty much just a bit of history filler and I suppose this is sort of a filler as well. Can you have two filler chapters in a row? Either way there is some story to this one and a hell of a lot of sexy times, enjoy haha**

"Why is he doing this to me Isabella?" Henry asked, a few days after the young Henry Fitzroy's death. After lying away sinking deeper and deeper into his own thoughts Henry had called Isabella into his bed chamber for the night and she was all too happy to accept his offer.

"I don't understand what you mean, Henry." she replied, tracing a finger slowly down his bare chest. "Why is who doing this to you?"

"God." Henry replied staring up at the ceiling, half lost in his own thoughts and half lost in his own self-pity for the loss of his heir. "Why did he take my only son away from me like this?"

"The child was ill Henry there was nothing that you or anyone could have prevented his passing." Isabella stated. Henry sat up and propped himself up on his elbows, looking down at her.

"But I have cause to believe that he is punishing me Isabella." he stated. "I have lost my only son and heir and I have had many still born children with Catherine. Why can I not produce a son? It feels like a punishment."

"What on earth would God be punishing your for?" she asked soothingly.

"Marrying my brother's widow; for taking Arthur's wife as my own after his passing."

"This was discussed at great length when we were younger; it was concluded that Catherine's marriage to Arthur was never consummated. There was nothing to stop you from marrying her." Isabella told him. "You were given the blessing of the church so there's no point wasting time worrying about it."

"But what if their marriage was consummated?" Henry asked. "It says in the scripture that if a man takes his brother's wife after his passing then they will remain childless to the end of their days."

"Henry you are hardly childless." Isabella stated reasonably. "You have Mary..."

"A single living daughter!" he implored cutting her off. "I have only one heir and it is not the son I desire."

"Mary is a wonderful child." Isabella stated, feeling protective over her young charge even though she knew that Henry was only saying this because he felt emasculated because he was unable to produce an heir.

"I know she is." Henry stated, lying back down on the bed and looking up at the ceiling again. "I just wish that I could have a son to rule the Kingdom in my stead when I die. It would make me sleep easier at night"

"Henry, you are still young," she replied. "you still have many years to produce a male heir to your throne."

"But what if God is punishing me because of my marriage to Catherine?" he asked. Isabella sighed. She did not want to have to give any opinion on the subject, she did not like getting involved with any affairs of state other than the one she was currently conducting with Henry.

"Then that is something that you will have to discuss with a Priest and think about very carefully." she stated turning away from him. Henry chuckled slightly and slipped his arm around her waist. He places a soft kiss on her neck.

"Always unwilling to pass comment Isabella." he said and began trailing kisses down her neck and to her shoulder. "It is one of the things I love the most about you."

"It is not my place to pass comment, I am merely here to serve Your Majesty and members of your family." she replied ignoring his comment about love. Henry turned her onto her back so that she was facing him and placed a kiss to her lips.

"You are worth so much more than that, my dear." He placed a soft yet passionate kiss on her lips and his hand began to tangle in her long blonde hair, closing his fingers tightly around the soft tresses. Isabella groaned softly as he pulled gently, forcing her head back to expose more of her beautiful neck and she arched her back so that her chest was pressed against his. He slipped his other arm underneath her so that he could pull her even closer, relishing the skin on skin contact.

Henry repositioned himself so that he was now nestled between Isabella's open legs. Her body was begging for him to be inside her but he wanted to play with her first; get her worked up to the point where she was begging for him, he liked it when she begged. Hearing her moans and pleas for release made his stomach contract and his desire for her increase. None of the other women he was with made him feel this way, especially not Catherine. If Catherine had some of Isabella's talents in that respect he would never have taken a mistress in the first place. Then again if Isabella had agreed to marry him in the first place...well that he would never know and would never discuss, all he wanted was to be able to be with her now.

Henry began to move his kisses from her lips, down her neck, past her collar bone and to her exposed breasts. With one hand he began to caress and massage one of then while the other was assaulted by his tongue and lips. Isabella bit back a moan as his tongue swirled over her hardening nipple and arched her back off the bed. Henry smirked against her skin and continued to run his lips, tongue and teeth over the sensitive flesh of her breast. He could feel her desire growing between her legs, the heat radiating from her and making his own desire grown.

"Henry..." Isabella moaned as he bit softly on a particularly sensitive part of her flesh. He smirked again against her skin and stopped his ministrations. He began to trail soft, teasing kisses down from her breasts to her stomach and further until he reached her hips. He reached an arm underneath her and lifted her leg onto his shoulder and began to caress her with his tongue. Isabella's hips bucked at the sudden contact and she moaned loudly.

Henry loved seeing her like this. Hearing her throaty moans fall from her beautiful lips, feeling her body clench at the ministrations of his touch, her taste and her scent were something he knew that he would never tire off. She was truly stunning to behold normally but when she was like this – when she was uninhibited, passionate and completely under his control – she was almost like a gift from the Heavens. He continued to drive her closer to her release wanting to drown in her, to loose himself completely and forget that he was the King, forget that he had lost his only male heir and that both their lives had to continue after this moment was over.

Isabella moaned his name once again and he knew her release would soon follow as her muscles tightened underneath his touch. He swiftly drew away from her, earning a slight gasp in protest from her. He reached up and kissed her lips passionately and she could taste herself on his tongue, which she drew hungrily into her own mouth to savour. This erotic action alone nearly sent Henry over the edge but his pulled away from her to whisper in her ear, hoping to hear those word spill forth from her once again.

"Do you consent, Isabella?" he asked.

"Fuck me." she panted in return, her breath hitting his ear. Those were the words he always loved to hear, to hear her begging for him to take her was just too tempting to refuse. He positioned himself and with one swift movement filled her to the hilt. He groaned in her ear as he entered her and she bit back a moan of her own. She was always so tight; she fit around him perfectly as if she had been made for him and only him. Henry knew that Isabella had men of the court asking for the chance to woo and seduce her but as far as he knew she had turned down each and every one of them, almost as if she wanted to be his and only his, which pleased him greatly.

Isabella shifted her hips slightly to meet his and Henry groaned in her ear once again and began to move inside her. Her fingers reached up to tangle in his hair and pull his face down so that she could crash their lips together. He pounded into her depths as she clutched and pulled at his hair, he revelled in the dull ache her actions were causing and plunged in with enough force to quickly locate that spot within her that made her eyes snap open, her head fall back and a loud moan fall from her open mouth.

Her reaction caused his to quicken his place, plunging in and out of her with such tenacity and force, hitting that spot within her each and every time he did, filling her completely and driving her wild with ecstasy. Her fingernails racked down his back, her legs which had wrapped around his waist clung to him and forced him in deeper (if it was even possible for him to get any deeper inside her) and a light sheen of sweat had formed on her body.

Henry's hair clung to his forehead and his arms shook with the effort of holding himself up as he gave one final push and, feeling her clench around him as she reached her peak, he released himself inside her crying out her name. His movements slowed but stayed constant as the pair of them rode out their orgasms together and when they were spent he collapsed on top of her burying his head in the crook of her neck and hearing her panting in his ear. It was like the sweetest music he had ever heard – his lover catching her breath while coming down from the high that he had taken her to.

Once he found the strength to move again Henry pulled out of her and roll onto his back by her side and he pulled her into his chest. The feeling of her body against his was always wonderful but after they had had sex it was even better; slick skin against slick skin, heat radiating off her and the feel of her chest heaving as she regained her composure. He took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips in a tender gesture, wishing that he could freeze this moment in time and remain with her forever. When he was with her he could be himself; that was the one thing that had drawn him to her in the first instance when they were children. That he could completely be himself around her was such an experience for him and he was unwilling to let it go.

"Isabella..." Henry began once her breathing had returned to normal.

"Yes?" she asked.

"How would you like to be my mistress? My only mistress." he added hoping that she would comply with his request.

"Truly Henry?" she asked. She had always secretly hoped that he would ask her to be the only woman he would go to, other than his wife of course. She had always hoped that he would say those words to her but she had never dreamed she would actually hear him say them.

"Truly," he replied tilting her head up so that she was looking into his eyes. "You are the only one that I desire to be with Isabella. You are the only woman I want please just say you will be mine."

"Yes," she replied, beaming and kissing him on the lips. "there is nothing I want more than to please you and be with you Henry."

"Good." he replied and kissed her forehead. The pair lay in contented silence for a few moments before Isabella spoke up with a fear that had immediately begun plaguing her.

"But what if another girl catches your fancy?" she asked him, fear in her large blue eyes. Henry chuckled softly, hugged her tighter and kissed her once again.

"That will never happen I promise you." he stated and at that moment she really believed that he meant it.


	8. Chapter 8

**So just realised that I've put 'this is a filler chapter' on like the last three chapter because I'm not paying attention and I'm rubbish haha but the last chapter wasn't filler. This is a little later than my usual update because I'm feeling a bit off colour today. Anyway this is a little exchange between Isabella and Brandon, hope you enjoy :) x**

This promise of Henry's was short lived however as a few days later Catherine's new ladies maids were introduced into the Castle, among them was the beautiful and very mysterious Anne Boleyn. Isabella knew instantly that Henry was infatuated with her. She was stunning, she captured the attention of everyone who saw her and there was just something about her that even Isabella found compelling. Henry still kept coming to her but she knew that he was thinking of someone else; she knew that he was thinking of Anne. She didn't take it personally she knew that Henry was often fickle when it came to women but at least he was still coming to her when he desired her.

Anne was everything that Henry wanted but she refused to become his mistress. This was the main reason that he kept returning to Isabella – he still loved her but his love for Anne was overpowering him yet she continued to deny him. She invaded his thought when he was in court, she invaded his dreams and her presence consumed him entirely – it was all he could do not to throw her down and make love to her there and then no matter who was watching.

Even the King's trusted friend (and noted fornicator of the court – he had even managed to bed Lord Buckingham's daughter, an act which eventually lead to Buckingham's execution for treason) Charles Brandon had noticed the change within Henry. He noticed how distracted Henry had been when Anne was around and how Henry's desire for a male heir was beginning to consume him.

Brandon was also having his own problems with desire in the form of Henry's own sister Princess Margaret. Brandon was infatuated by her but he knew that Henry would kill him if he deflowered his sister. When it was Buckingham's daughter and a number of other women around the court it was amusing but when it was the sister to The King of England then it was most certainly not.

Knowing that Isabella was a confidant (and a mistress) of the King Brandon kept trying to seek her out to talk to her. He knew that she had a great insight into how the King reacted to certain types of bad news and Brandon knew that there was no way he could tell Henry that he was in love with his sister without some kind of repercussions. One afternoon when Henry was out riding Brandon found Isabella, intending to ask her opinion on the subject of his love for the Princess, preparing a room for the young Princess Mary.

"Your Grace." Isabella said curtseying as Brandon entered the room. Even though Henry gave Isabella the informality to call him by his first name (which had taken her years to actually comply with) she would never assume that that informality transferred to anyone else. Isabella knew her place as a simple servant, regardless of the fact that she was a favourite of His Majesty's or not.

"Miss Lockhart." Brandon bowed slightly to her. "May I speak with you?" he asked.

"Of course, your Grace." Isabella replied feeling slightly confused at this unusual request. The Duke of Suffolk had never desired to speak to her before now. He had on occasion asked for her company in his bed chambers (or her bed chambers, or any bed chambers for that matter) but she had always refused him not wanting to be just another in the Duke's very long list of conquests.

"I require your council and hopefully your assistance on a subject very close to my heart." he stated. Isabella narrowed her eyes and tilted her head in his direction. It didn't seem as if he had ulterior motive other than to converse with her.

"And what council could I possibly offer Your Grace?" she asked.

"I desire your opinion on a matter that may greatly upset His Majesty if he were to find out in the wrong manner." he replied.

"Forgive me, Your Grace," she said, averting her eyes from his penetrating gaze and continuing with her work (she could not deny that Brandon was incredibly handsome but she had never desired him or wondered at anything he could possibly have to offer her). "but I fail to see how I have any more authority on His Majesty's reaction to bad news than any other members of His Majesty's court, surely Mr Moore or His Grace the Cardinal would be better."

"You are the Isabella Lockhart, are you not?" Brandon asked pointedly emphasising the fact.

"I fail to understand where this reputation that has apparently preceded me had come from." Isabella stated, incredibly confused.

"I hope you do not mind but His Majesty has told me a great deal about you." he said and his tone of voice told Isabella that what he knew about her was a number of very lewd things that had transpired between her and Henry. She was not bothered in the slightest; it was in the nature of men to talk and in the nature of a King to brag about his various conquests be they in war, land or women. There were things that Henry did in relation to their relationship that Isabella had long since given up being bothered about.

"His Majesty is a liberty to tell whomever he chooses about me. I am his humble and ever loyal servant after all." she stated. Brandon took a step towards her, taking a lock of her soft golden hair, that had fallen from the tight bun she always wore it in, and toying it round his fingers. Isabella gasped softly as Brandon's hand grazed the side of her face and he placed a soft kiss upon her cheek.

"From what I hear you are so much more than just a servant." he stated. "From what I hear you are His Majesty's confidant." Isabella pulled her head away slightly, pulling her hair out of Brandon's loose grasp as she did so. He chuckled slightly, knowing that he had touched a nerve with his comment. Isabella was fine with it being known that she was the King's mistress – the King had many mistresses so it was not uncommon – but for the King to have a woman for his confidant. Now that was unheard of and would lead to Henry's credibility slipping – the King could not be seen to be taking advice or council from a woman.

"I would hardly call myself a confidant Your Grace, I am merely here for the purpose of serving His Majesty in whatever way he deems fit and if he desires to talk to me then I am more than happy to listen." she stated.

"Whatever you say my Lady." Brandon smirked. "Regardless of your insistence that you are not the one His Majesty comes to when he wants to confide in someone I still need your opinion or a matter concerning His Highness."

"And what matter would that be Your Grace?"

"The matter concerning the marriage of His Majesty's sister to the King of Portugal." Brandon stated.

"Yes, I have heard that he is very much in love with her." Isabella replied trying to be impartial. Secretly she felt for Margaret; the King of Portugal was getting on in years and he wasn't exactly the most agreeable of men. Isabella had no desire herself to ever be placed in that position and was so very thankful that she never would be.

"Have you also heard that he is old and decrepit?" Brandon asked. Isabella laughed softly.

"If God permits, for the sake of Margaret or course, then maybe the King of Portugal will not be long for this world." she stated jovially.

"One can only hope." Brandon replied. Isabella looked at him, shrewdly.

"Forgive me, You Grace," she said, smiling at him. "but I was under the impression you wanted to ask me about more than just the virility for the King of Portugal."

"That is true, I must confess." he replied. "I wanted to ask you how you think His Majesty would react if he found out that I was in love with his sister?" Isabella blanched slightly.

"That I was not expecting." she muttered to herself. It was true that Brandon was a noted womaniser and often found himself in the bed on many girls but to talk of love, and to talk of it in conjecture to the King's own sister...well that was just unheard of. "I highly doubt that His Majesty would react well to it and I believe there is very little that can be done about it since Margaret is to become the Queen of Portugal very soon."

"I have heard tell that she has bargained with His Majesty that once the King of Portugal is dead then she may marry whom she wishes." he told her.

"I do not know what to say Your Grace," Isabella replied. "there are many things that will stand in the way of a relationship between you of the Princess. For one thing it may be years before the King of Portugal dies, leaving her married to him for as long as that may be. For another thing I highly suspect that His Majesty will be in any way happy with an alliance between yourself and his sister – he will not let the marriage take place, if that is what you intend to do." Brandon remained silent for a few minutes considering what Isabella had just said.

"Thank you, Miss Lockhart," he said bowing slightly. "I will consider all you have said before I make any rash decisions."

"I am glad I could be of service Your Grace." she curtseyed. Brandon bowed again and left her to finish her work. That was a strange exchange, Isabella thought to herself once she was alone, she could hardly imagine that Henry would be happy if Brandon were to marry Margaret but, like in many ways, Isabella knew that it was not her place to say anything.

* * *

A few days after their exchange Brandon and the Princess left for Portugal and Isabella highly suspected that Brandon would find a way to get what he wanted in the end. After this departure Henry found himself falling very ill after being submerged in a bog while out riding. Once the King had regained health he suddenly became very worried about his legacy. He suddenly became painfully aware of the fact that he was, in fact mortal – despite what he had previously thought – and had no legitimate male heir to the throne. He wanted to annul the marriage to Catherine on the grounds that it was against God and the scriptures and he should never have married his brother's widow. Wolsey stated that the marriage had never been a legal marriage in the first place.

It also transpired that Princess Mary was to be sent away to live in her own Palace, a Palace 'truly befitting a daughter of the King of England'. Not wishing to send her away as well Henry relinquished Isabella's duties to Lady Salisbury. Isabella was very sad to be leaving Mary but she was glad that she was able to stay in London – she had no desire to move to Wales (for one thing it was cold and wet). Isabella then returned to her previous position of being a ladies maid to Catherine, where she finally got the chance to meet the infamous Anne Boleyn.

The young girl was very beautiful and it was rumoured that she had a great string of lovers standing in her wake. She had a number of men dying at her feet but she had never given herself to any of them, a feat which Isabella thought very highly of. She could certainly understand Anne's decision as her sister Mary was known as 'The Great Prostitute' – everyone knew her that way and she had even had a brief affair with His Majesty at one point.

Isabella found Anne to be quite pleasant and a woman of integrity – she was rejecting Henry's offer to become his mistress saying that her husband (and only her husband) should be the one to control her maidenhead. It was how Isabella had started her relationship with the King, stating that she would not give herself to him unless he became her husband (but she had known that would never happen as she was well below his station). Eventually Henry had worn her down but that had taken years and she sincerely hoped that Anne's resolve was a great deal stronger than her own.

* * *

The matter of Henry's divorce to Catherine caused a great stir within the Kingdom. Wolsey was working hard on behalf of the King to convince the other Cardinals and Bishops that Henry was doing this for religious reasons rather than just a desire for a new wife. That part was particularly difficult – it was no secret that Henry was in love with another and wished to take her as his wife, many members of the court even thought that it was Isabella but it was common knowledge that she always denied that His Majesty was willing to marry her whenever she was asked.

Isabella was perfectly happy to remain in the shadows when it came to Henry and his love scandals (and so far there had been a number of scandals – his bastard with Lady Blount, his constant infatuation with Anne and his wanting to divorce Catherine). Even though she had no remaining family which she could possibly bring shame to Isabella still desired to keep her name out of the fold. It was no secret that a Wolsey didn't like her; whenever she had an audience with the King he would always ask 'what would a silly girl like you have to say to a King?'

He was right. Even though Isabella had given the King a great deal of good private counselling over the years she wished it to remain just that – private. She never spoke of her meetings with the King to anyone and she knew that His Majesty never spoke of them either. That was just the way that made her happy – it made the King happy and Isabella was always happy with whatever made Henry happy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys, just a little short chapter today because I've been doing stuff I shouldn't be (ie writing an entirely different story when I still have this and another on the go haha) either way I hope you enjoy it**

It was not common knowledge around the court and Kingdom that Henry was planning to divorce Catherine but the Queen had been informed by him that he considered their marriage over. The news almost broke the Queen but she had little opportunity to mourn the loss of her husband and carried on retaining her composure as (in the words of Thomas More) 'a way truly befitting the Queen of England'. Catharine's situation was not made any easier by the fact that Anne was still one of her ladies maids. Having to see the face of the woman who was trying to take her husband away every single day was difficult for Her Majesty.

One evening in the Queen's bed chamber Catherine called Anne out on her constant pursuing of the King. Isabella had been standing just behind the door and could not help but listen to the exchange between the current Queen and the potential Queen (well if Henry had his way anyway). Isabella had often wondered which of the women in Henry's heart would win the exchange, but when His Majesty started presenting Anne with expensive gives that became abundantly clear.

"An expensive whore." Catherine commented, gazing with disdain at the necklace Anne was wearing and reverting to her native Spanish tongue so as to converse to herself.

"Your Majesty I am not whore." Anne replied, moving her head slightly so that the necklace the King had given her fell out of Catharine's grasp. Isabella laughed softly to herself; yes, Anne may have kept her maidenhead and refused to give it to His Majesty until they were married but she was flaunting her relationship with the King throughout the court, so whether she was a whore or not was greatly debatable.

"You may be some new passing fancy for His Majesty but he will realise, in time, that I am his true wife." Catherine stated. "Let him give you expensive gifts, let him play with you for a while but do not think that you can take him away from me."

"I love His Majesty..." Anne began.

"He will tire of you soon enough and when that day comes he will return to me." Catherine stated, proudly and with every conviction that she believed this to be true.

"His Majesty loves me and he..." Anne began but Catherine cut her off once again.

"Did I say you could speak!" she almost shouted. "You are a servant and you should know your place. Now get out!" Anne stood up and curtseyed slightly.

"Your Majesty." she muttered and stalked out of the room. Isabella stood in her position behind the door for a few moments until she heard the soft sounds of Catherine crying slightly. She walked into Her Majesty's view and curtseyed slightly.

"Your Majesty." she stated as if she had only just entered the room. Catherine looked up to see Isabella standing in front of her. She smiled slightly at her despite her uncomfortable and unfortunate situation.

"Miss Isabella." the Queen replied in greeting as if to keep up the charade but as soon as she saw the look of concern on Isabella's face the smile she had put on faded. "How much did you hear?" she asked. Isabella hung her head slightly.

"Every word, Your Majesty." she confessed. Catherine sighed.

"Come, sit." she stated, signalling to the space on the floor where Anne had just been only moments before. Isabella sat beside her, keeping her eyes averted from where they should not look and down at the floor. "You know a great deal about His Majesty's affairs do you not?"

"I know what I am told by rumours..." she began. Catherine laughed softly but not unkindly.

"Isabella I know that you were His Majesty's mistress." she stated. "It did not bother me because the King has taken mistresses before but this infatuation with the Lady Anne…it worries me."

"Why should it?" Isabella asked naively. Catherine gave her a knowing look.

"I think we both know the answer to that Miss Isabella." she replied. Isabella bit her lip in thought, not knowing what to say to make the situation any better.

"Though it is not my place to pass comment, Your Majesty, I believe that you are correct. This is just a passing fancy on His Majesty's part – eventually he will tire of her as he has tired of all his previous mistresses. Nothing will come of it so I would not let it trouble Your Majesty too much, eventually he will realise that she is not worth the trouble." Isabella said comfortingly. Catherine gently stroked her cheek.

"Oh how I wish I could believe you," she replied. "but His Majesty had already begun to try and divorce me."

"I would not worry, You Majesty," Isabella said, leaning her head against Catharine's hand. "the divorce will surely not be granted; there is little ground for it and the church will never allow it." Catherine smiled softly and thoughtfully at her.

"I hope that you are correct." she said sadly. "I certainly hope that you are correct."


	10. Chapter 10

**Hellooooo! Hope everyone is having a good Monday, the sun is shinning where I am and I'm a very happy bunny today. It kind of feels like I'm dragging the divorce between Henry and Catherine out a bit but they did that in the series so I'm ok with it haha hope you enjoy :)**

During the summer of that year England was hit by a plague known only as 'The Sweating Sickness' because of the powerful bouts of sweating it caused among its victims. The disease travelled all around the country and spared no one form its clutches; servants and noblemen alike all found themselves contracting the Sweat. Many of the King's servants were either taken ill and eventually died or they died very swiftly with no way to prevent it from happening. One of the first to be taken by the illness was Henry's trusted friend Sir William Compton which caused His Majesty great pain. Many subjects all over the land fell ill and died and many of them felt as if the sickness that had befallen them was a punishment from God.

Even Henry found himself questioning why this plague was happening to his Kingdom. He was offered a great number of reasons why this was happening by the likes of More and Wolsey; his marriage to Catherine when she was his brother's wife, his flaunting his relationship with Anne throughout the court and (according to Thomas More) the ongoing heresy at the hands of the Lutheran population residing within the Kingdom, all reasons for punishment but resolving none could stop the sickness from spreading.

All these fuelled Henry's paranoia and when he discovered that Anne had fallen ill he began to suffer from delusions, hallucinations and nightmares. He could not stop picturing himself rapidly decaying, Anne lying dead beside him and the Devil tormenting him at every turn. He shut himself away from the world (even Isabella, which he had never done before) and made it his aim to combat the disease and purge himself of whatever was affecting the rest of his Kingdom. He could not succumb to it now – not when he was so close to getting everything he desired in the form of a divorce from Catherine.

Thankfully, for Henry at least, Anne pulled through the sickness. Those who had fallen ill began to regain their previous health and the plague that had caused so much misery and grief passed over the Kingdom. After mourning the death of so many of his subjects, including a very treasured friend Henry then turned his attention back to getting his divorce much to the displeasure and pain of the Queen. Being a close member of her court Isabella could see what Henry's decision was doing to Catherine but being a servant she could not speak to him about the subject, it wasn't her place.

It had been weeks since he had come to her or called her to him and Isabella was beginning to suspect that this was because of Anne. Actually she knew it was because of Anne – Henry made his love for her no secret, much to the chagrin of a number of Catharine's beloved subjects because she was greatly loved by a great many people in England. She had no great love for the girl, after beginning to catch a glimpse of her true colours, and Isabella suspected that Anne had no great love for her either...well at least they were in accord there, she thought to herself. So she was pleasantly surprised when the King called her to converse with him late one afternoon.

"Your Majesty." she curtseyed as she entered his chambers. Henry stood up and walked over to great her.

"Miss Lockhart." he bowed, took her hand and kissed it softly. "Isabella, it has been a while." He said this with a smirk that told Isabella he still thought about their last encounter together. She had to admit she did too – it was hard not to sometimes as Henry was still as handsome as ever.

"It certainly has." she said, giving him a look that said she felt exactly the same way. Henry motioned for his servants to leave the room and led Isabella over to a chair. She sat down and he pulled his own chair up next to her and took a seat.

"How have you been keeping?" he asked.

"Fine." Isabella replied. "And Your Majesty?" she asked.

"You realise you are still at liberty to call me Henry." he told her. Isabella smiled and looked at her hands.

"That is a liberty I would much prefer to only exercise in a certain place, Your Majesty." she stated. Henry chuckled.

"You never change Isabella, it is one of the things I love the most about you." he replied. "Come tell me, what has become of you over the past few months?"

"Nothing in particular, not since I have left the company of your daughter." she said sadly. Isabella missed the young Princess dearly; during their time together she had become very fond of Mary and very much missed being in her company.

"I have heard that Mary is doing very well in Ludlow. You should be very proud of her." Henry replied smiling.

"As should you Your Majesty. The Princess is a wonderful child and will grow into a wonderful young woman." Isabella replied. "But I suspect that it was not about the young Princess that you wanted to converse with me."

"You are very astute Isabella, as always." Henry stated. "You are correct it is about an entirely different matter which I would like to discuss with you. I very much desire your opinion on it as you have never steered me wrong before."

"I only wish to serve Your Majesty." she replied, smiling slightly.

"I'm sure you are aware that I desire to divorce Catherine and once that has been taken care of I would like to take the Lady Anne as my new wife." he told her. Isabella remained silent; she had nothing to say on this matter.

"I am aware of this, yes." she replied, suddenly becoming stoic and cold, when she realised that Henry was going to say nothing else until she spoke.

"What do you think of this match?" he asked.

"I think that if this match is what you want then this match is what you will have." she told him. She had known from a young age that it was not a good idea to say anything that went against the King's wishes and those who did often found themselves a head shorter. As much as Isabella felt nothing for the King's new fancy she greatly desired to keep her life and stay in his good graces.

"This match is what I greatly desire." Henry stated.

"Then I am very much in favour of the match." she told him. "I am wondering if Your Majesty will receive the divorce that you so greatly desire though."

"What do you mean Isabella?" he asked.

"I mean that I wonder whether You Majesty will be granted the divorce by the Pope despite the fact that you have scriptural grounds for it." she replied. Henry leaned slightly closer to her in his chair.

"What do you know Isabella?" he asked.

"I know very little Your Excellency, only what I have heard in passing from the likes of Cardinal Wolsey and his confidants." she stated truthfully. "I am not a confidant of the Cardinals so only know what I hear while preparing his rooms while he ignores me."

"I don't know whether to relieved that he hasn't told you anything or upset as I feel there is much he is not telling me." Henry stated.

"What, pray tell, will you do if you are not granted the divorce by His Holiness?" Isabella asked changing the subject somewhat. Henry stood up and began to pace the room slowly.

"I know not," he stated as he walked. "There is nothing that I would not do to right the wrongs I have committed in marrying my brother's wife."

"It has been a matter that has plagued You Majesty's conscience for a long time." she stated, although she knew that this was hardly the reason for Henry's desire for a divorce. That reason rested entirely between the legs of Mistress Boleyn, but Isabella would never voice that particular opinion. Henry continued to pace for a few moments, lost in his own thoughts before he suddenly struck out and knocked a goblet off one of the tables, crying out in rage. Isabella kept her composure, over the years she had seen Henry fly into a number of rages and she had learnt that the only way to deal with him when he was like that was to calmly wait for him to regain himself rather than react to it. "Majesty?" she asked once he seemed to have calmed down.

"Wolsey is stalling!" he exclaimed.

"I don't understand Your Majesty."

"The divorce proceedings," he told her, his voice still filled with fury. "it seems as if he is stalling. He seems unwilling to take the matter to court and grant me what I so desire but he tells me that he has everything under control."

"I am sure what Your Majesty desires will be given to you some way or another." Isabella replied as calmly as ever. "You will find a way to get what you want...you always do, Your Majesty." Henry laughed softly, his anger leaving him.

"I hope you are right, Isabella." he replied returning to his seat next to her. "I certainly hope that you are right."


End file.
